321 replies to this topic

[olpfan1]

Speaks volumes really, I must say.

How about temperatures? As I mentoined earlier in a country like Canada Celsius makes much more sense than Fahrenheit because it really gets freezing.

I don't often hear people talking Celsius..It's mostly Farenheit here but I am near the border
The further north you go I am sure the more you will hear Celsius


Almost 90 % of Canadians live within a few hours of the U.S so I'm sure the majority knows both

[olpfan1]

Some things will never be metric like units used for navigation. Meters and KPH are only used in the east block and China. The "West" including the rest of Europe and the Asia, use feet and Knots.

What about metres to measure waves and miles per hour to describe wind speed here just like they use knots and feet
I think we use all of those and in no order

Edited by olpfan1, 25 February 2012 - 01:32 PM.

[Wilber]

What about metres to measure waves and miles per hour to describe wind speed here just like they use knots and feet
I think we use all of those and in no order

Not in marine or aviation weather reports. Wind speeds are quoted in knots because that is the unit used by ships and aircraft to measure their speed and distances travelled.

[-TSS-]

So it is it right to say that despite all the orders from above to not to use certain measurements and convert to newer ones, as long as people disagree it will never happen?

[American Woman]

olpfan1, on 25 February 2012 - 01:21 PM, said: Feet and Pounds.. I've never heard any Canadian say they are 220 CM or measure their weight by KG
it just doesn't happen

Speaks volumes really, I must say.

How so? I believe the same is true in Britain.

Edited by American Woman, 25 February 2012 - 01:38 PM.

[Wilber]

So it is it right to say that despite all the orders from above to not to use certain measurements and convert to newer ones, as long as people disagree it will never happen?

I think it is a generational thing. It comes down to what you can visualize when a unit is quoted. The metric system started to come in when I was in my late twenties so I will probably never convert totaly. I grew up thinking in Fahrenheit but now think in Celsius. Other things I will probably always convert back to Imperial or US measures. MPG will probably always make more sense to me than liters per 100 km.

[cybercoma]

Barometric pressure is another one that is strictly metric here. No one refers to atmospheric pressure here in inches as they do in the US. It's measured in kilopascals.

[-TSS-]

How so? I believe the same is true in Britain.

Indeed, when I have been to Britain I have never met a person who would talk about his/her weight in cm's. It's always feet and inches.

Edited by -TSS-, 25 February 2012 - 01:45 PM.

[Wilber]

How so? I believe the same is true in Britain.

When describing their weight, many Brits still use the Stone as a unit.

[Wilber]

Barometric pressure is another one that is strictly metric here. No one refers to atmospheric pressure here in inches as they do in the US. It's measured in kilopascals.

Something else designed to confuse us. It used to be inches or millibars and still is for altimeter settings on aircraft. So what did the weather guys do? Took millibars, moved the decimal point and called it kilopascals. Why?

[Topaz]

How so? I believe the same is true in Britain.

In Britain, they don't use pounds as in weight as in a person. They used STONE which is about 14 lbs. So if you hear someone in Britain lost a stone, they lost 14 lbs.

[cybercoma]

...or they took a painful leak.

[guyser]

As mentioned it does depend on where you live in part.

The younger generation, those under 30 seem to operate entirely in C and often look at me strange when I say its 80F out.

As for weight, that seems to be a sticking point for some, however the kg is popular...since it makes women thinner. " Why I only weigh 68kg ! "

Measurements in business are almost all in metric, as the tolerances are so low it makes perfect sense. Whats a quarter inch when a centimetre works perfectly. This bis especially so when dealing outside the country. As I understand it, most businesses would prefer the metric all around (businesses that measure stuff that is)

Me, I go both ways with ease however the one I dont use anymore, contrary to wilbur's way, is the L per 100K for gas consumption. The computer on my car I leave in metric and it has become normal for me, although I used to flick the switch all the time betw F and C etc)

When Metric Canada was announced way back in the early to mid 70s , I recall it being somewhat controversial , but that it died down when most people could see both systems on the same product, which is still the same today for shopping, although the dollar per pound is still dominant in the meat dept.


Oh....and I still have the first issue of Metric Canada glassware, the stylized 'M' and CANADA emblazoned across the front.
Courtesy of my dad, who was on the board of governers who oversaw the switch. He was an engineer and used to try and explain to us kids why it would be better.

I can sell them if anyone is interested...name the price , but no being like Rick on pawn brokers, none of this 'well they are worth $100, I will give you $2 for the lot!'

[-TSS-]

But does anyone any more think in gallons? I believe that the petrol-pumps in Canada must be measuring and charging for litres rather than gallons?

[guyser]

...or they took a very incredibly, horrendously, worse than childbirth painful leak.

Just had to fix that for ya!